Lorain City Schools proposes K–5 neighborhood model as state and federal funding cuts force $16.6 million in savings

Lorain City Schools officials told a packed town hall that a sudden combination of state, federal and county funding changes has forced the district to present a plan to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) that demonstrates roughly $16.6 million in savings over the coming budget cycle.

Ross May, an assistant superintendent, said the district is especially dependent on state funding and was hit in three ways: a $4.9 million reduction in state aid this year (rising to about $6 million next year), a $787,000 decrease tied to federal Title allocations and roughly $1 million lost locally after a county property-tax change — a total of about $6.7 million in unexpected cuts. "What played out for us and other urban school districts was the worst-case scenario of all three proposals," May said, noting 36 urban districts across Ohio absorbed similar losses.

To respond, the district presented two elementary staffing and facilities models it has discussed with the community and ODE: a paired-schools model that is cheaper to operate, and a neighborhood K–5 model that residents favor. Under the neighborhood option the district would operate eight K–5 schools; district projections show all but one school would be above 80% capacity and the elementary-level savings from that consolidation would be roughly $6 million, May said. He added the state lowered the district's required cut from $18 million to about $16.6 million, providing "a little wiggle room," but not additional funding.

Superintendent (speaker label used in the town hall) said the district must submit an ODE-compliant plan by the agency's deadline, and cautioned that ODE could impose a plan if the district fails to do so. "We have to have something that demonstrates that we can make these cuts, because if we don't, they'll come in and make them for us," he said. The district plans to vote on an ODE plan at an upcoming board meeting and to continue community engagement (including a Spanish-language Zoom session and a community survey) before finalizing details.

District leaders emphasized trade-offs: average class sizes would rise slightly (Ross May projected an increase from roughly 22 to 24 students districtwide at the elementary level) and some staff duties would shift as central-office positions are reduced. Officials said they are prioritizing solutions that preserve neighborhood schools where possible and comply with Ohio law that requires districts to offer underused buildings to charter operators when occupancy falls below statutory thresholds.

The board is scheduled to vote soon on a plan to submit to ODE; district officials said they will publish the plan to staff and the public when it is ready and continue soliciting feedback. "We're trying to do the best we can with what we have," the superintendent said.

Ending

District officials said they will share a more detailed proposal with staff before public release and that the board will vote on an ODE plan at the next board meeting. Community members at the meeting urged the district to prioritize classroom preservation and to release clearer numbers before the vote.